Topic: IN A NUTSHELL (Read 20386 times)

MBarnum · « **Reply #30 on:** June 28, 2004, 07:28:42 AM »

Wow, I loved disaster movies when I was a kid, and of course the 1970s were the heyday of disaster flicks. From that era I loved The Posiden Adventure and Towering Inferno and all of the rest.

Disaster films from earlier eras that I LOVE are 1935s DANTE'S INFERNO with that great cruise ship fire and the destruction at the carnival. And then there is 1960s THE LAST VOYAGE which is quite suspenseful as Dotty Malone is trapped in a sinking cruise ship!

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #31 on:** June 28, 2004, 08:02:05 AM »

Not a huge fan of disaster movies. Two I might pick that could be considered disaster movies on a very intimate scale:

1) Billy Wilder's ACE IN THE HOLE (aka THE BIG CARNIVAL), loosely based on the Floyd Collins cave-in.

2) ABANDON SHIP, about the aftermath of an ocean liner sinking and an overcrowded lifeboat where an officer, Ty Power, must make the difficult decisions of who must go overboard, so the others may survive.

JMK · « **Reply #32 on:** June 28, 2004, 08:14:24 AM »

I was visiting San Francisco with my then-girlfriend in what was maybe 1974 (?) and we were walking down the street when we noticed huge blitzkrieg lights and cordoned off streets. We then noticed Mr. Steve McQueen next to one of the sawhorses used to block a block (so to speak) and realized they were filming "The Towering Inferno." Maybe the large cameras should have given us a clue, but, hey, we were kids, it was San Francisco and you can probably guess the rest.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #33 on:** June 28, 2004, 08:43:48 AM »

Good Morning!

One thing I meant to mention last night...

During my post-practice walk - and after I got my music back! - I made a stop at Bev's for some ice cream. Last night I opted for a brownie sundae. There was only one "scooper" working again last night, but, thankfully, there were only about three or four people in front of me. However, a few minutes after I walked in about ten people followed. When I got to the counter, I ordered my brownie sundae - with Coffee Heath Bar ice cream and hot fudge and m&m's. -Yes, it may have been overkill... Well, she started putting together my sundae by taking a brownie - with nuts - from the case and nuking it for a few seconds in the microwave. Then she started scooping the ice cream. And I mean scooping the ice cream! Normally the sundaes have a "regular" scoop which is quite generous on it's own. However, last night, by the time she had started pouring the hot fudge over the whole thing, everyone in line was literally ooh-ing and aah-ing. I was actually in a slight state of shock. It was just so big. When she handed it to me - and I felt how heavy it weighed - I started laughing. "Oh, is it too big?" she asked. I just laughed again, "Well, not really, but thanks for your, um, generosity."

Then I headed out for the rest of my walk.

Normally, I can finish off my off ice cream by the time I get half-way down Cary Street. Well, this time, I didn't finish it until I got to the end of the street for my turnaround. I was even "worried" that I might not be able to finish it. Besides the brownie, there had to be at least a good cup and a half of ice cream, and a generous pour of hot fudge. Needless to say, I did finish the whole thing off, but I most definitely did not need a pre-bedtime snack last night. -And I'll most likely be taking an extra long walk today.

And that was last night's ice cream report!

And last night was most likely the end of my usual post-show lazy/splurge/endulge period. I really do need to start getting more active in all respects. This way, I can leave some "room" for my next post-show lazy/splurge/indulge period.

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #34 on:** June 28, 2004, 08:47:22 AM »

BTW (internet lingo!), Jose, big congrats on getting your music back and on all the other good stuff that looks like it's coming your way!

Panni · « **Reply #35 on:** June 28, 2004, 09:14:14 AM »

I'm running very late this morning - still haven't taken my mind-clearing walk.
Thanks for the info about Doris Dowling's NY Times obit, Dan TM. I was wondering when it would appear. I've been trying to get in touch with her very sweet and caring husband ever since I found out about her death. Left several messages, sent a card, no answer. Totally unlike him. I hope he's okay.

S. Woody White · « **Reply #36 on:** June 28, 2004, 09:34:18 AM »

DAN THE MAN: Dan-In-Toronto, I was still composing my post about TPA as you posted yours about The Towering Inferno. I guess both movies "had it all".

DAN-IN-TORONTO: Mine had O.J. Simpson.

DAN THE MAN: Oh? And did he unmodestly swim underwater wearing almost-too-sheer panties covering his ample posterior? Did he? Hmmmm?

AND I JUMP IN: But who can forget Simpson's famous "I'm saving this pussy" scene? The finest acting he ever did, I tell ya! He shooda got the Oscar for that one!

mrkdl73 · « **Reply #37 on:** June 28, 2004, 09:36:18 AM »

I'm just here to say that today I have nothing to say. Have a nice day.

bk · « **Reply #38 on:** June 28, 2004, 09:48:07 AM »

WEL and others: I have not mentioned the name of the play because we were awaiting approval of the rights. This has taken much longer than needed or was necessary and this morning we found out they were denied. We are appealing this afternoon. In a nutshell, Dramatist's Play Service says this play can be done anywhere but NY and LA. They say that NOW. If that's the deal, then they should say it in the script, on their website, and they should not take over two weeks to reach a "decision". I will have more to say depending on the outcome of the appeal - we are hopeful it will work out. The writer of this play doesn't want his play done poorly in one of those two major cities. If that's the case, it should just say that emphatically - no NY, no LA. This play, I'm quite certain, has had many poor productions everywhere else. Why THAT wouldn't bother the author, who knows. When you sell stock and amateur you sell stock and amateur - you can't and shouldn't have it both ways. But, we're sending him the information about who we all are and that it's going to be a first-class production in a well-respected theater, with actors and director with plenty of credits (more, in fact, than the author), and with a first-class set, maybe they'll see how silly they're being. If not, we have a backup play chosen.

bk · « **Reply #39 on:** June 28, 2004, 09:49:58 AM »

And that "review" in the LA Times by some critic one has never heard of ('special to the Times') is so wrong on every single level that it's laughable. But you know something's wrong when the role of Starbuck barely gets a mention in a "review". Apparently he and many others in the audience saw a different production, if you get my meaning.

Noel · « **Reply #40 on:** June 28, 2004, 09:50:30 AM »

Quote from: William E. Lurie on June 28, 2004, 06:11:59 AM

Next season Papermill has a great schedule, but that's not the impression I got from people talking before the show and at intermission... a lot of subscribers are not renewing because they don't like what is being done: OF THEE I SING, SHE LOVES ME, THE BAKER'S WIFE, RAGTIME and two new shows: HAROLD AND MAUDE - THE MUSICAL and a play called THE DRAWER MAN with John Mahoney. I think it's a great schedule, but then I travel from NY to Papermill and am not a suburban New Jerseyite which is where they draw their main audience from.

DR WEL raises an important point. From time to time I rage at the regionals, since they seem so cowardly in their show choices, so reticent to go beyond the tried and true. But, if that's what their audiences are demanding, well, I can't fault artistic directors for listening to their audiences.

I have this fantasy that audiences (subscribers and the like) will one day rise up and say "Enough. We're tired of seeing the same dozen musicals again and again. Give us something new to see or you'll never see our butts in your seats again!"

It's sobering to read the truth (in WEL's post) that audiences are doing just the opposite, saying "DON'T you dare give us anything new or interesting. More of the same please, and lots of it!"

Jay · « **Reply #41 on:** June 28, 2004, 09:51:19 AM »

On the topic o'the day:

I never will forget, Mmmm...Jeanette MacDonald
Just to think of her, it gives my heart a pang
I never will forget, how that brave Jeanette
Just stood there in the ruins and sang, and sang...

Here's a vote for San Francisco.

Jay · « **Reply #42 on:** June 28, 2004, 09:55:35 AM »

Such tsuris, Dear BK! Good luck with the appeal!

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #43 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:07:59 AM »

Quote from: JoseSPiano on June 28, 2004, 08:43:48 AM

However, last night, by the time he had started pouring the hot fudge over the whole thing, everyone in line was literally ooh-ing and aah-ing. I was actually in a slight state of shock. It was just so big. When he handed it to me - and I felt how heavy it weighed - I started laughing. "Oh, is it too big?" he asked. I just laughed again, "Well, not really, but thanks for your, um, generosity."

TCB, we really miss you. Don't be Like Shane, COME BACK!

William E. Lurie · « **Reply #44 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:09:09 AM »

This just in...

ASSASSINS which had originaly extended it's run at Studio 54 until September 12 will now close July 18 instead. Even the Tony® didn't help.

My hope is that they use the extra time the theatre (and I use that term loosely) is dark to get rid of the cabaret tables and install real seats before PACIFIC OVERTURES opens late in the fall.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #45 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:11:39 AM »

Oh.....DRJOSE got his books back!!!

Hmmmm....disaster movies.

Well I like the 1953 TITANIC with Barbara Stanwyck & Clifton Webb, especially the scene when he is putting her in the lifeboat and telling her how much he has always loved her....

AIRPORT 1975 with Karen Black bringing in the plane!

SMASH UP ON INTERSTATE 5 was a tv movie with Buddy Ebsen and Harriet Nelson and Vera Miles and a bunch of people....it started with the actual smash-up....then flashed back to earlier when we met all the people in the cars and took us back to the crash on the interstate...it is one of my favorite TV movies, and the crash was horrifying....you are driving along and suddenly - chaos and death! There was a "he died - she lived" type of finale....

And I liked THE HINDENBURG....the crash and the way they did it was very interesting: stop motion, black and white....using the actual familiar newsreel footage and newly filmed footage.

And of course it was a disaster when Nancy Archer grew to be 50 feet tall and stomped into town tearing the roof off Tony's bar and killing her husband and his mistress!

Jrand73 · « **Reply #46 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:12:50 AM »

WEL - the envelope is on its way!

Noel · « **Reply #47 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:16:01 AM »

The late, great mad genius Del Close told me why he preferred to work in Chicago. "Every actor in any theatre, no matter how small, in New York or Los Angeles, KNOWS that there is some chance there's somebody in their audience who could make or break their career." As a result, he thought, actors in those towns were less likely to take the risks required to create truly innovative art.

As I said a week ago, what COULD be going on in the mind of the playwright is something like this:
"The real money to be made off this play is to sell the film rights, which my agent has been pedaling around Hollywood for many years. If those Hollywood powers-that-be catch a less-than-stellar production, they're not going to give me the big bucks."

Now, I'm not saying that anything in BK's planned production is less-than-stellar. As far as I'm concerned, it's MORE-than-stellar. But I truly think the issue of whether-it's-stellar-enough is what's going through the Dramatists' minds.

I agree it's an awful situation, frustrating in the extreme, but that's how I see it.

Jennifer · « **Reply #48 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:17:47 AM »

Yesterday DR Panni said that I had written that it was impossible that Fahrenheit 9/11 would be #1 at the box office this weekend (it was, and with $21.8 M).

Actually what I had written was:
"I don't think it can be #1 because I don't think the release is wide enough. I know here it's only playing in a few theatres."

Well, when DR Charles Pogue posted the Saturday numbers I knew it would finish #1. But it does surprise me. I think they got really lucky that no big new movies opened last weekend. But it still seems odd to me that they could get such high numbers while playing in so few theatres.

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #49 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:21:08 AM »

I'll date myself with favorite disaster movies:

Krakatoa - East of Java 1969

IMDB observes:

Quote

After the success of Earthquake (1974) and its Sensurround process, this film was re-released in Europe in the mid 1970's (under the new title "Volcano") with the addition of Sensurround. In some areas this process was advertised as "Feelarama."

I thought "Feelarama" was used in those theatres frequented by Pee Wee Herman.

der Brucer (still drooling over Sal Mineo)

Donald · « **Reply #50 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:24:34 AM »

The brand new Broadway Radio Show is up and running....this week, David Levy joins me for some interesting and fun showtune covers. I hope you enjoy it since it will be running for 2 weeks since I will be on vacation.

Bye for now

Donald

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #51 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:29:25 AM »

Quote from: bk on June 28, 2004, 09:48:07 AM

WEL and others: I have not mentioned the name of the play because we were awaiting approval of the rights. This has taken much longer than needed or was necessary and this morning we found out they were denied. We are appealing this afternoon. In a nutshell, Dramatist's Play Service says this play can be done anywhere but NY and LA. They say that NOW. If that's the deal, then they should say it in the script, on their website, and they should not take over two weeks to reach a "decision". I will have more to say depending on the outcome of the appeal - we are hopeful it will work out. The writer of this play doesn't want his play done poorly in one of those two major cities. If that's the case, it should just say that emphatically - no NY, no LA. This play, I'm quite certain, has had many poor productions everywhere else. Why THAT wouldn't bother the author, who knows. When you sell stock and amateur you sell stock and amateur - you can't and shouldn't have it both ways. But, we're sending him the information about who we all are and that it's going to be a first-class production in a well-respected theater, with actors and director with plenty of credits (more, in fact, than the author), and with a first-class set, maybe they'll see how silly they're being. If not, we have a backup play chosen.

BK, can we take up a pool and guess which play it is?

Jennifer · « **Reply #52 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:33:27 AM »

DR Jose, I'm so glad you got your music back!

BK, good play vibes to you! ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jennifer · « **Reply #53 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:36:42 AM »

Happy Birthday to Mark!

DR S. Woody, I loved reading about the birthday party! Too funny.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #54 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:39:30 AM »

Quote from: DERBRUCER on June 28, 2004, 10:07:59 AM

TCB, we really miss you. Don't be Like Shane, COME BACK!

Quote

However, last night, by the time he had started pouring the hot fudge over the whole thing, everyone in line was literally ooh-ing and aah-ing. I was actually in a slight state of shock. It was just so big. When he handed it to me - and I felt how heavy it weighed - I started laughing. "Oh, is it too big?" he asked. I just laughed again, "Well, not really, but thanks for your, um, generosity."

Ummm.... I can rightfully say that the above was/is not a direct quote!!! It's amazing what happens when you leave off an "s" or too.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #55 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:45:15 AM »

BK - There are actually quite a lot of plays and musicals that have a "New York and L.A." restriction. And, as we all know, it all stems from money. Since those are big markets, they might as well aim for the big venues with lots of exposure. Will you have to get the William-Morris guys involved or something like that?

I wish all of of you the best with your ongoing efforts to get your show produced and up and running.

In the meantime, I'm finally getting out of the apartment for a bit... Be back later.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #56 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:55:19 AM »

Uh oh.....Lucy Ricardo is going to give Ricky a scare at the dress rehearsal for the Mr & Mrs TV Show for Phipps Department Store!

Dan-in-Toronto · « **Reply #57 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:55:38 AM »

As for our sub-category of condiments - a light mixture of mayonnaise and lime pickle.

Finally I can say it:

Shakalaka baby!

Jrand73 · « **Reply #58 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:56:27 AM »

Good vibes for MR BK at the Dramatist's appeal....

Ben · « **Reply #59 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:58:28 AM »

Now you've done it DIT. Shakalaka is stuck in my head again! I have to go back to Donald's radio show to find something to dislodge it.

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Author Topic: IN A NUTSHELL (Read 20386 times)

MBarnum

Ben